Contact-connecter shunt



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,701

R. L. STANCLIFF CONTACT CONNEGTER SHUNT Filed April 4, 1927 Inventor-z Rag L. Snsu'msli f, u W/Q Hi8 Attorney Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,680,701 PATENTjOFFICE.

RAY L. s'rANcLIrr, or 'WESLEYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, assIeNon'rro GENERAL ELECTRIC cjoMrANza coaron'a'rIoN on NEW YORK.

CONTACT-CONNEGTER SHUNT.

Application filed April 4, 1927; Serial-No. 180,755.

This invention relates to connecter shunts for electrical contacts, such as the contact fingers of drum controllers, electromagnetic contactors or the like where both flexibility and heavy current carrying capacity of the connecter shunts are essential to satisfactory operation.

To meet these conditions it has been customary to form the connecter shunts for the contacts of a plurality of superimposed, thin, flexible copper strips or laminations which jointly serve to provide the required flexibility and current carrying capacity. Moreover, to facilitate handling the laminated connecter shunt as well as the connection of the end thereof to the switch element carrying the contacts, it has been proposed to secure the free ends of the connecter laminations into a more or less solid bundle by soldering them together. This, however, is an added, and relatively expensive and diflicult operation inmanufacturing the connecters. Furthermore, the flux necessarily used in soldering enters between the laminations and starts corrosion which may finally destroy the inner laminations or at least materially shorten the effective life of the laminated connecter shunt.

The present invention provides an improved laminated connecter shunt for contacts so constructed that the required flexibility and current carrying capacity readlly may be obtained and at the same time the superimposed laminations of the connecter inherently are bound together at one end of the shunt without the necessity of soldering. Briefly, this is accomplished b making the laminations for the connecter s unt substantially double the required length and then folding the laminations over at the middle. This results in the laminations forming a smooth end thatdoes not require solderin and can not be injured by .handling. Tn addition the folded laminations of the connecter shunt preferably are crimped or looped up intermediate the ends of the shunt, thereby more effectively insuring the alignment of the laminations and also increasing the flexibility of the shunt.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a erspective view of a contact finger provided with a connecter shunt, embodying the improvements of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the contact finger 10 is the type adapted for use in a drum controller and is mounted upon a resilient spring supporting member 11 which used. In accordance with the usual practice 7 the'spring support 11 of the contact finger 10 is relieved of the duty of carrying current and the flexible connecter shunt 12 is pro the connecter shunt 12 is formed of a plurality of thin copper strips or laminations 13, as indicated in the drawing. Each of the strips 13 are substantially twice the length of the completed shunt and are folded over at the middle so that the folded-over middle portions of the inner laminations nest within the outer laminations to form the end of the shunt. In, this Way the outer strip or lamination effectively encircles and binds together all of the inner laminations at the end of the shunt. The laminations' are then crimped or looped up as at 14 in order to increase the flexibility of the connecter and also more effectively maintain the laminations in alignment.

Thus with the ends of the folded laminations of the conductor secured between the contact 10 and the mounting spring 11 by rivets 15, as shown in the drawing, the connecter is maintained definitely in its proper position, thereby facilitating manufacturing,

andling and installation of the contact fin-v ger unit in a drum controller or other switch mechanism.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An electric connecter shunt formed of superimposed laminations folded over in the middle with the folded-over middle portions of the inner laminations nesting within the outer laminations to form the end of the shunt.

2. An electric connectershunt formed of superimposed laminations folded over in the middle so that the outer lamination encircles and binds together the folded-over portions of the inner laminations at one end of the shunt, said folded-over laminations being crimped intermediate the ends of the shunt.

3. The combination with a contact fin er and a resilient supporting member there or,

1 of a connector shunt for the finger formed of superimposed laminationsfolded over at the middle so that the folded-over middle portions of the luminations nest together to form one endof the shuntwith the-ends oi.

the laminations secured between the finger and the support and with the laminations GI'lIDPBd intermediate the ends of the shunt.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set -my hand-this lst 'tday of April. 1927.

RAY L. STANCLIFF. 

